Brook Lopez (l.), Avery Johnson, Devin Harris and Nets general manager Rod Thorn pose as the Nets introduce Johnson as their new coach. Harris (b.) is a former player of Johnson's in Dallas.

As Avery Johnson was being introduced as the new coach of the Nets Tuesday, Devin Harris stood off to the side wearing a smile. Then halfway through the televised press conference, Harris grabbed a microphone and asked Johnson a question. Even though Harris got a serious answer, neither the query nor what Johnson said in response to it mattered much. The important thing was that Harris was there, cutting short a vacation to Turks & Caicos to show support for his new coach.

What a long way Harris and Johnson have come since their days bickering in Dallas, where both started a journey that they hope ends with helping the Nets go from laughingstock to contender. Giving Johnson's hiring his full approval, Harris said he expects their time with the Nets to be similar to the way it was in Dallas, winning included. "It's not like we didn't like each other," Harris said. "We butted heads, and we'll still butt heads going forward. But it's all about winning, and that's something we both respect."

Johnson appreciated the support from Harris and Brook Lopez, who also attended. "Anytime a coach takes over and players can disrupt their summer schedule to come in for a press conference, it means a lot," said Johnson. "And not only Devin, but Brook. Brook doesn't really know me. He's only heard the mean things about me."

Brook Lopez (l.), Avery Johnson, Devin Harris and Nets general manager Rod Thorn pose as the Nets introduce Johnson as their new coach. Harris (b.) is a former player of Johnson's in Dallas.

(Sipkin/News)

Johnson vowed to give Harris more control of the team's offense, one of the issues that caused friction between player and coach during their time together in Dallas, which ended when Harris was traded to the Nets in the Jason Kidd deal late in the 2007-08 season. Following a first-round playoff ouster 2-1/2 months later, Johnson was fired by the Mavericks. Tuesday, he said one of his goals is to bring the Nets to where he was with Dallas in 2006: the Finals. That won't be an easy task since Johnson is taking over a team that went 12-70 this season. "We can go from worst to first," Johnson said.

LOPEZ BETTERLopez said he battled mononucleosis last month and lost more than 20 pounds. He's fine now and is scheduled to work out next month with the U.S. national team that will compete in the FIBA World Championship in Turkey in September.